How-To Geek

When Plex starts buffering or stuttering, it's easy to assume that hardware problems are to blame, especially if you're using a NAS. But that often isn't the case. With Plex, the overall setup is so important. If your media files aren’t in the right format, Plex has to convert them on the fly, and that’s what causes many performance problems.

You’re used to using your phone, shouting at a smart speaker, or tapping a dashboard on the wall to control your smart home. But adding a select few controls to my Apple Watch has been more useful than any of these when I’m in a rush, on a bike, or otherwise preoccupied.

Linux is often held up as an example of an operating system that is more private and secure than Windows, and not without reason—it does have some distinct advantages. However, Windows hasn't been totally left behind either. There are several ways that Windows matches, or even surpasses, Linux on the privacy and security front.

I still clearly remember the first portable CD player my parents bought me in the early 2000s. I'd always wanted one, but I had to make do with a cheap Walkman clone instead, dubbing CDs to tape using our home Hi-Fi.

Although I firmly believe that most people don't need an expensive SSD, cheaper drives have some downsides. One glaring flaw is that they seemingly slow down for no reason.

I've been using Google's smartphones for a long time. Although they aren't technically "stock Android," they do represent Android in its peak form: smooth, clean, uncluttered. For years, they felt like the closest thing Android had to an iPhone-style experience.

This text editor is a bit of a hidden gem, but it borrows some of Vim’s best features and works well alongside it, too. Find out how to get up and running with Textadept, and why it could be a vital addition to your toolbox.

In modern culture, every movie and TV show seems to be a book adaptation, and reading has entered a golden age. So many people are turning to currently trending novels, old bestsellers, and classics galore to read about the tales before they watch them on streaming websites, even if some, like Netflix, aren't the best anymore.

Don't you just love it when one setting can affect your entire network, and you may often not even know about it? In this case, we're talking about an often overlooked legacy setting that can completely wreck mixed-speed setups.

Freezing panes was once the go-to method for keeping headers in view, but on modern 16:9 screens, it takes up valuable vertical space. If you're still locking rows like it's 1997, it's worth exploring newer tools that achieve a similar outcome while making better use of your screen.

LEGO is fun, whether you’re eight or 80. If you have a 3D printer, you might think that the two hobbies go hand in hand. While it’s true that there are a lot of resources available, LEGO and 3D printing aren’t the match made in heaven you’re hoping for.

The last version of DOS was released more than 30 years ago, but even after all that time, many DOS features have survived in Windows. Some of them are even among the most common and useful tools you can use in the Windows Terminal.

The low-frequency rumble of a subwoofer is usually the greatest source of contention between you and your neighbors if you live in an apartment, since you need to place it in specific places for the best sound.

The ESP32 has become a killer gadget for anyone who wants to DIY their own smart home solutions. Why wait for someone to make the smart home gadget of your dreams when you can combine an ESP32 with a few accessories and program it to do exactly what you need?

There are dozens of Linux file systems, and I'm sure you've heard of ReiserFS at least once. It promised a great deal but ultimately failed. I could give you some technical reason for its demise, but that would be dishonest. The true reason is much darker, and if you heard it, you might appreciate your day a little more.

My smart home definitely doesn’t need a dedicated dashboard. Even so, I’ll eventually probably throw something together on the cheap, just because I can. But if I had a few grand to spend on something fancy, I’d buy a far less useful but ultimately more beautiful relic of the past instead.

SUVs are everywhere now, from tiny runabouts like the Hyundai Venue to massive family haulers like the Cadillac Escalade ESV. But most people aren’t shopping at the extremes—they want something right in the middle that’s easy to live with, efficient, and still roomy enough for real life.

Plug-in hybrid SUVs promise the best of both worlds—electric-only driving for short trips and gasoline backup for longer journeys—but they often come with a steep price premium. In 2026, however, one model stands out for delivering that versatility without compromising on value. The Toyota RAV4 PHEV combines strong efficiency, impressive performance, and everyday practicality in a way that makes it one of the most compelling options in its class.

Home Assistant has many features and functions that can be easy to overlook. Something I hadn’t done until recently was group similar devices together in order to control multiple things at once. This solved a problem I was having with my smart home.

It is a well-known fact that Chuck Norris never needed a garage; he simply parked his vehicles wherever he wanted, and the Earth would manifest a structure around. However, the world is currently mourning the man behind the myth and the man who inspired countless witty one-liners and analogies that are forever cemented into online lore.